Spic and Span
by TheStationmaster
Summary: Thomas and Percy want to be clean as the big engines.


**Another Thomas rewrite, this time it's "Spic and Span" from Season 8. Enjoy and comment.**

It was an important day on the Island of Sodor. The railway inspector was coming, and Sir Topham Hatt wanted the railway to look really neat.

Everyone wanted to make the railway look better than ever.

On the day on the inspection, Sir Topham Hatt came to see the engines.

"The railway inspector arrives today." said Sir Topham Hatt.

"What's a railway inspector?" asked Percy.

"He's an important person who comes to check the railway every year." explained Thomas. "He makes sure everything is spic and span."

"And this year, he is to give a prize to an engine." added in Sir Topham Hatt. "So make sure you look your best!"

"A special prize!" exclaimed Thomas.

"I wonder if we could win." wondered Percy.

"He's going to give it to an Express engine." said Gordon.

"Or one with big wheels." said Emily.

"Or a splendid red engine!" added in James proudly.

"Don't listen to them!" puffed Thomas. "A really useful engine can look as grand as any engine."

That afternoon, Thomas and Percy arrived at the quarry.

But as the stone was being loaded into Thomas's freight cars, stone dust flew down and landed on Thomas! 

"Yuck!" coughed Thomas.

"Now you'll never win first prize." sighed Percy.

"Don't worry Percy." assured Thomas, "all I need is a good washdown."

And so Thomas raced off.

But when he arrived at the washdown, Emily was already there.

"I need to get cleaned for the inspection!"

"There's no need for you to get cleaned." said Emily. "I'm going to be the grandest engine there!"

This made Thomas very cross.

"I'll still win first prize!" huffed Thomas as he steamed away to help Percy.

Thomas and Percy puffed across the countryside, feeling very grand indeed.

But when Thomas and Percy arrived at Brendam Docks, they saw Sir Topham Hatt. He was with the railway inspector!

"Oh no!" puffed Thomas. "The railway inspector is here! But I'm still dirty!"

So Thomas raced back to the washdown.

When Thomas got to the washdown, he saw James.

"I'm going to be the shiniest and most grandest engine at the inspection!" boasted James.

"There's no point of you even being there!" said Thomas crossly. He wanted to win first prize more than ever.

But James's new red coat of paint was shinier than ever.

"I hope my blue coat can be as shiny as James's." thought Thomas to himself as he steamed back to the docks.

Percy and Thomas shunted the quarry freight cars into place.

When they had finished, Percy was dirty, and Thomas was dirtier than ever.

So they raced to the washdown as fast as they could.

But when they arrived, Gordon was there.

Thomas thought Gordon looked splendid.

Then, James and Emily puffed in. They looked splendid too.

Now Thomas was worried.

"There's no point in going to the inspection." puffed Thomas sadly. "We'll never win!"

"Of course we can win!" Percy puffed. "We just need a good washdown."

Percy and Thomas soon got their washdown, but Thomas thought he wasn't as grand as the other engines.

James, Emily and Gordon were waiting for the railway inspector to arrive.

"The sunlight makes my dome sparkle!" said Gordon grandly.

"My red paint is the best red paint ever!" boasted James.

"And my wheels look fancier than ever!" added in Emily.

The engines tried to find the sunniest part of the coal yard.

James backed up, hitting a freight car!

Then, there was trouble! Coal flew everywhere, and landed on James, Gordon, and Emily!

Now, they were not shiny anymore.

Sir Topham Hatt soon arrived with the railway inspector.

"These engines are filthy!" said the railway inspector crossly. "I've never seen so much coal dust!

Just then, Gordon blew to clean his funnel, causing coal dust to land all over Sir Topham Hatt and the railway inspector!

"Sorry!" coughed Gordon.

At last, Thomas and Percy arrived.

When the railway inspector saw Thomas and Percy, he was very pleased.

"You are the cleanest engines I've ever seen!" he said.

Thomas and Percy won first prize, and were very delighted.

The railway inspector gave them special ribbons as well.

"I'm glad we got cleaned." said Thomas.

"And really useful engines can look as grand as any other engine!" replied Percy.

Thomas agreed!


End file.
